Habitat Helpers give gift of home

While writing out her Christmas card list last year, Liz Mooty decided that she wanted the money she spent on this holiday effort to have a greater impact.

"I spend a lot of money on Christmas cards every year. I thought about the impact we could make if one hundred friends and neighbors would sacrifice our Christmas card money to do something positive in the community," said Mooty.

At her daughter's next basketball game, she explained her idea to the other team mothers. The group decided that their teenage kids would need to be a part whatever community project they would choose, and ultimately decided on sponsoring a Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity (TCHFH) house. Mooty teamed up with her friend Kristen Johnson to lead the effort, named their group "The Habitat Helpers," and contacted TCHFH to start the project.

"The whole process worked really well. Twin Cities Habitat had an easy plan to help us work through," said Johnson.

Mooty hosted a fundraising party at the Edina Dairy Queen, a business she said that was instrumental in supporting their effort. The group's initial goal was to raise $50,000. By June, they had raised over $75,000, surpassing the $60,000 needed to be considered a primary house sponsor.

"This is really an exciting and unique initiative," said Nancy Q. Brady, vice president of resource development and community relations for Twin Cities Habitat. "We have had house sponsors come from congregations, corporations and foundations, civic groups, and occasionally an individual. But I don't think we've ever had a community of friends pool their resources together in this way before."

On June 11, while most teens were enjoying their first lazy days of summer vacation, the Habitat Helpers were out at the crack of dawn, hammers in hand. "The kids made up a big part of our volunteer crew," said Mooty.

The group was fortunate to work alongside the future homebuyers of the house, Laverna and Sherman Starr. "Our hearts were more invested in the project as a result of working with them," said Johnson.

"It was truly a life changing experience. The following Sunday night my son Tucker said ‘I wish we were going out to build again tomorrow'," Johnson added.

The Habitat Helpers hope that their story will challenge other groups to take on a house sponsorship. Mooty and Johnson said it's important to have a couple of key people leading the effort. "There were times I wanted to quit, but Kristen really built me up and helped move things forward," said Mooty.

Johnson underscores the family benefits of a group Habitat project. "So often we're asked to do things in the community that pull us away from our families. This was something wonderful, something meaningful that we could do together."

Laverna, Sherman and their kids will be moving into their Twin Cities Habitat home this holiday season. What started as holiday greetings grew into the gift of home - a gift that has already changed lives.

Contributed by Sharon Rolenc